Business Diary

Business Diary for the week starting April 18th:Markets will be paying close attention to any developments in relation to euro zone sovereign risks this week, whether in Portugal, Greece or Ireland. Meanwhile external trade figures for February are likely to be the key domestic data published during this holiday-shortened week.

Monday, April 18th

Results:

Citigroup; Eli Lilly; Kenmare

Indicators:

EU-17 Consumer Confidence (Apr); US NAHB Index (Apr); UK Rightmove House Prices (Apr)

Other:

Ibec quarterly economic forecast; European Commission, ECB and IMF officials to start policy discussions with Portugal

Tuesday, April 19th

Results:

Bank Of New York Mellon; Goldman Sachs; Intel; State Street; Yahoo!

Meeting:

Italcementi agm

Indicators:

EU-17 Markit Manufacturing PMI (Apr) and Trade Balance (Feb); US Housing Starts (Mar)

Wednesday, April 20th

Results:

Abbott Laboratories; Apple; Boston Scientific; Dairygold Co-op; Edwards Lifesciences; Elan; EMC; Marriott International

Meeting:

Datalex agm; 2010 Report of the Revenue Commissioners; ’Global Economy, Local Challenges: Positioning Ireland for the Upturn – A Perspective from John Bruton’ Distinct Business Consulting breakfast briefing (Merrion Hotel)

Indicators:

US Existing Home Sales (Mar); UK Minutes of April MPC Meeting; German PPI (Mar); Italian Industrial Orders (Feb)

Other

: Heineken trading update.

Thursday, April 21st

Results

: Akzo Nobel; Biogen Idec; Sandisk

Meeting:

’Building a Business on Your Ideas’ seminar (Galway)

Indicators:

Irish External Trade (Feb), Capital Assets in Industry (Q4), Industrial Stocks (Q4) and Quarterly National Household Survey Pension Provision (Q4); US Weekly Jobless Claims (w/e Apr 16th), Leading Indicator Index (Mar) and Philly Fed Index (Apr); UK Retail Sales (Mar) and PSNCR (to end Mar); German Ifo Index (Apr)

Other

: Interim management statements from Dragon Oil, William Hill and Persimmon; launch of OECD Economic Survey of Japan.

Friday, April 22d

Market Holiday - Good Friday Europe & US

Indicators:

French INSEE Production Outlook Indicator (Apr); Italian Retail Sales (Feb)